Some network devices (such as routers) may include and/or rely on a multitude of power supplies to facilitate operation. For example, a network device may draw electrical power from 24 different power supplies. In this example, the 24 power supplies may be set up in a traditional daisy-chain configuration to distribute electrical power to various components of the network device by way of a power-sharing bus. As a result of this traditional daisy-chain configuration, the power supply that is outputting the highest amount of current may essentially dictate and/or control the electrical power level of the power-sharing bus. In other words, the analog signal of the highest-outputting power supply may set the electrical power level of the power-sharing bus while the other power supplies included in the daisy-chain configuration attempt to match that electrical power level by increasing their current output.
Unfortunately, this type of traditional approach to power distribution within network devices may have a few weaknesses and/or inefficiencies. For example, the traditional daisy-chain configuration may fail to account for differences in operating temperature among the power supplies. High operating temperatures may decrease the reliability of the power supplies, which is often measured in terms of Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF).
Various factors may contribute and/or lead to high operating temperatures among the power supplies, including the amount of electric current being output by the power supplies and/or the ambient air temperature surrounding the power supplies. Network devices may also include cooling mechanisms (such as fan trays) designed to reduce the ambient air temperature surrounding the power supplies and thus increase the reliability (or MTBF) of the power supplies. However, the power supplies may be located and/or positioned in different areas of the network device. Unfortunately, the cooling mechanisms may be more effective at reducing the ambient air temperature in some areas of the network device than others.
As a specific example, the network device may include a top compartment that houses 12 power supplies and a bottom compartment that houses 12 other power supplies. In this example, the network device may also include cooling fans that blow and/or deliver air to the various power supplies housed in the top compartment and the bottom compartment. Unfortunately, the air blown and/or delivered to the top compartment may pass over a higher number of line cards than the air blown and/or delivered to the bottom component due to the user's chosen configuration. The heat dissipated by this higher number of line cards may cause an increase in the temperature of the air blown and/or delivered to the top compartment. As a result, the ambient air temperature surrounding the power supplies housed in the top compartment may be higher than the ambient air temperature surrounding the power supplies housed in the bottom compartment, thereby potentially increasing the operating temperature and/or decreasing the reliability (or MTBF) of the power supplies housed in the top compartment.
The instant disclosure, therefore, identifies and addresses a need for additional and improved apparatuses, systems, and methods for temperature-based regulation of electrical power output by power supplies of network devices.